Target Practice

I miss the mark sometimes. I aim and shoot. My arrow lands on the bull’s eye like I intended, but this bull’s eye is almost always the one labeled “SELF”. In my arrogance, I’ve changed the game by placing “ME” in the middle of the target when that small, center circle should really be “JESUS” with its encompassing ring being “OTHERS”. I’ve hit the bull’s eye, but I’ve totally missed the mark. I am blind to the opportunities around me because the object of my affection is me.

Several months ago, God assigned me a task, and I put it off. Not sure why, but I did. I mentioned it to my girls, and Aleyah didn’t let me forget. She is a planner, a task-oriented individual so she has the makings of a great accountability partner. Last Sunday, we completed this act of service. It costs me $3 and 10 minutes. There was an immediate blessing as we simply saw the response of those whom we served. Just an hour or so later, God extended that blessing as He gave to us just what we had given away! What a lesson for my kids and for me. How many times have I (and do I) neglect to serve God and others? A simple task yielded a blessing for the recipients, my family, and for me, so I’m praying that I keep my eyes opened to what God has called me to do for others. I’ve been reading Radicaland this David Platt quote really struck me…

“What if we gave like this (referring to the widow and her mite), not because of the critical need around us, but because this kind of giving is actually what the heart of Christ in us both demands and desires ?”

My heart sank last week when a woman made a comment on how a few people who came to share God with her hadn’t bothered to help her out when she needed it. This illustrates my point of missing the mark. As a follower of Christ, I need to daily make Jesus as my focal point, my bull’s eye. There will be days that I neglect to do that as I allow “self” to push it’s way back to the center. Jesus knew it would be a constant struggle to remove ourselves from our main focus- that’s why he commanded us to take up our cross daily. (Luke 9:23) I know there will be many more times that I am blinded to the needs around me because I’m concerned with only myself, and so I’m thankful that He is patient with me, and that He is not yet done transforming me!

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil.1:6